Palmitic acid supplementation does not improve performance of pre-ruminant calves

Performance of Holstein calves receiving equal solids per day from high-solids milk and milk replacer blend once or twice daily combined with dry versus wet fine-particle starter diet

This study examined the effects of frequency of feeding high-solids milk and milk replacer (MMR) blend combined with dry matter (DM) content of starter feed on the performance of dairy calves. Forty-eight Holstein calves (40.2 ± 3.33 kg of body weight) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a completely randomized design. Based on a combination of 2 MMR feeding frequencies (once versus twice daily) and 2 starter DM levels (91.1 and 50% DM), 4 treatments were designed as (1) once daily + dry starter feed (OD), (2) once daily + wet starter feed (OW), (3) twice daily + dry starter feed (TD), and (4) twice daily + wet starter feed (TW). The amount of milk replacer powder added to whole milk was adjusted at each feeding frequency to ensure that calves received similar solids from the MMR blend via the twice-daily (total solids = 18.6%) or once-daily (total solids = 31.0%) programs. Starter intake in the preweaning period did not differ between treatments (average 0.39 kg of DM/d), but the postweaning starter intake was greater in calves fed the wet starter (OW and TW) than in those fed the dry starter (OD and TD). Calves receiving the high-solids MMR blend twice versus once daily grew faster before weaning, which was reflected by a greater weaning weight in the TD and TW groups (88.9 kg) than in the OD and OW groups (83.2 kg). The daily growth rate after weaning did not differ between treatments and averaged 1.15 kg/d. Gain-to-feed ratio during the preweaning period was greater in calves from TD and TW (mean 0.67) than in calves from the OD or OW groups (mean 0.58). Postweaning gain-to-feed ratio was not different among treatments and averaged 0.38. Days to first diarrhea and duration of diarrhea (4.66 ± 0.38), as well as days that animals were treated with antibiotics, remained unaffected with treatments. Although preweaning body weight gain was lower with once-daily milk feeding, calves were twice as heavy at weaning as at birth in both milk feeding programs regardless of starter moisture content, which may qualify the once-daily milk feeding program as a cost-effective management strategy in commercial calf-rearing operations. Feeding solutions with a high solids content (above 15%) may be associated with an increased risk of abomasal bloat and should be used with caution.

Short communication: Performance of Holstein calves fed high-solid milk with or without nucleotide

Our initial hypothesis was that the exogenous supply of nucleotides to neonatal calves would improve the development and functionality of gastrointestinal tissue, thereby enhancing their capacity to efficiently digest and utilize the nutrients in high-solids milk. Twenty 3-d-old male Holstein calves (37.9 ± 2.24 kg of body weight) were distributed randomly to 1 of 2 treatments (1 calf per pen; 10 pens per treatment) without or with added nucleotides to their daily milk. Dry milk powder was added to pasteurized milk and offered as 4 L/d from d 3 to 15, 6 L/d from d 16 to 49 (at 0900 and 1600 h), and 2 L/d in morning feeding from d 50 to 55. High-solids milk (fat = 4.47%, protein = 4.64%, lactose = 8.13%, and total solids = 17.7%) was made through the addition of milk powder into whole milk and supplemented without or with 2 g/d of a commercially available nucleotide product, and then fed until weaning. Nucleotide supplementation had no effect on preweaning growth rate, but tended to increase postweaning daily weight gain (d 56-75). Unexpectedly, nucleotide supplementation tended to increase fecal score within the 10 d of calf life; thereafter (until weaning), no difference was detected in fecal consistency. Nucleotide supplementation tended to increase and increased pre- and postweaning dry matter intake, respectively. Efficiency of feed utilization (kilogram of weight gain per kilogram of dry matter intake) was not influenced with treatment. The net gain (d 1-70) of withers height and hip height tended to be greater in nucleotide-fed calves. Overall, addition of nucleotides to the high-solids milk had marginal effects on preweaning performance and tended to increase fecal scores (looser feces) in the initial phase of life; however, it increased starter feed intake and growth rate after weaning. A longer-feeding experiment is recommended to elucidate the potential effects of nucleotide supplementation in high-solids milk on calf performance.